You're The Only Present I Need
by streetlove954
Summary: "I love you Iris West," He whispered into her shoulder bone hotly. Barry's arms tightened around her wishing he could breathe her in. She screamed and giggled in shock as he picked her off the ground. This past year she'd been the happiest she'd ever been and it was because of Barry. Always because of Barry.


**A/N:** Hey everyone, I wrote this story for a WA Christmas challenge back in December. I had previously uploaded it but I think somewhere along the line it messed up so here it is. This is an Earth 2 AU of Westallen. I hope you enjoy!

 **YOU'RE THE ONLY PRESENT I NEED**

 **Christmas Night, Circa 2009.**

Shit, Iris was running late. Her dad was set to perform in about five minutes. Tonight he'd be singing at Jitterbugs for the Christmas party they held every year in celebration. At least people weren't bustling about, she thought, especially with the snow falling.

For a short person her legs ate up a good portion of ground quickly. Shit, shit, shit. She'd explain it to her dad, her excuse was valid. Both Diana and Eddie had held her up at their apartment. She'd promised both of them that she'd show up for an hour but then it had started snowing and an hour turned into two.

The bottom of her boots crunched the mixture of dirt and snow beneath each step she made. When she turned onto Fifth Street she heard music and sent up a silent thanks because she was that much closer to Jitters. She would make it on time, even if she was a few seconds late, she would make it.

Iris bent her head back and took in the night sky with all its stormy clouds. Snow fell around her and a shiver raced down her spine at the cold in the air. However, that didn't take away its beauty. She loved winter but most of all she loved when it snowed. There was something magical about the white sheets that seemed to shield everything in its path.

When she realized someone was walking towards her it was already too late. A man, twice her size, crashed right into her. A hard breath heaved out of her chest in surprise and before she could balance herself she was back first on the wet concrete with this stranger half on top of her. Pain shot through her butt and she screwed up her face in agony. Thankfully the pain was momentary, disappearing into a dull ache.

"Oh my God! I am so sorry!" he blurted out scrambling to his feet. "I wasn't – I didn't- Oh God!" His words were jumbled together with his glasses lopsided on his face. He reached a hand down to help her up not wasting much time or caring about the state of said glasses.

"I wasn't watching where I was going…and I'm- and I'm sorry," He murmured as he pulled her to feet. She dusted the ice from her backside, not a single response coming to her. He seemed to be beating himself up over something that wasn't entirely his fault.

"Hey!" She reprimanded, her voice a bit playful. If there was one thing Iris did not do it was take herself too seriously and from the looks of this guy he needed to lighten up. She watched as he fixed his askew glasses, his eyes roaming everywhere all at once. "It's okay, things happen." He finally looked down at her, his fingers running through his hair causing each strand to stand on end. Nervous energy pulsed off his being.

"No, I'm just awkward." One of Iris's eyebrow's lifted, he was really beating himself up. Sure her ass was soaking wet and there was probably snow all over her back but things happened. She mustered up her best smile. She wasn't upset or anything.

"Well I don't know if _that's_ true but I do know we're both okay," She pushed her hair out of her face and took him all in. He was about six two with these piercing green eyes. Suddenly she found it kind of hard to breathe. One of her hands floated upward and she clutched at the scarf circled around her throat. She had no idea who this dorky stranger was or why she found him so attractive.

"I guess you're right." He shrugged in nonchalance, a gesture she barely spotted in the dark. There was something about him, something she found adorable. She watched him tuck his hands into his pockets, and had the urge to bombard him with random questions. If she didn't know any better she'd think he was flustered. He didn't let another second pass before he waved a hand goodbye.

"See you then." He said as he walked around her, making sure to keep a fair distance between them. Iris's eyes never strayed from his retreating form and she pivoted on the heel of her boots to not lose eye contact either. She nibbled on her bottom lip trying to decide whether or not she wanted to stop him. Yep, she wanted to. With her heart moving rapidly to her throat, she took a few steps in the direction he was heading.

"Hey! I'm Iris West! What's your name?!" She yelled, glancing around in hopes of no one minding her loudness. She sighed in relief when he paused and turned back to look at her. From where she stood she could just about make out the small tilt of his lips.

"Barry!" He called back. "Barry Allen!"

 **Christmas Night, Circa 2010.**

"I got you something," The smile she wore as she uttered her surprise warmed him to the core. It was huge, welcoming and it instantly soothed his mind. Barry was about thirty seconds away from meeting her father for the first time and nerves gripped his chest. He was trying to play it cool, trying to keep a positive attitude but nothing he told himself helped his erratic heartbeat. Maybe they'd get along and he was overthinking for no reason.

"I thought we-" Iris cut him off with a shake of her head.

"I know but I wanted to get you something. It's not extravagant, I promise." She gave him another reassuring smile, one of her hands finding his in the darkness. They were standing on the porch of her childhood home, a Christmas dinner well underway right behind the front door.

"I didn't-" She placed a finger over his still moving mouth.

"It's okay, this is the last time. I just saw it and I thought of you…" She trailed off, her gaze pleading with him to accept her gift.

Today marked their one-year anniversary but Iris had made Barry promise not to buy her a present and she'd done the same. Or so he'd thought. She dug a small box out of her jacket pocket and placed it in his palm. It wasn't wrapped in gift paper; it was a red rectangular box, simple and elegant. He examined the gift suspiciously. Shit, he should've worked overtime and gotten her the funky vintage bracelet he'd seen at Deco's.

"Barry," Iris said shuffling on her feet in an excited fashion. "Open it." Sighing in defeat he took the lid off the box. It was a bow tie (his favorite accessory) with purple and gray stripes. He fingered the clothing item, a grin spreading on his face. Leave it to Iris to surprise him with something so basic, yet so significant.

"So?" She prompted, impatience edging her tone. He shook his head wearing a goofy grin before he leaned down and pressed a heated kiss to her lips. Iris gasped against his mouth in awe, her fingers sinking into the lapel of his overcoat to drag him closer. He thanked the universe repeatedly for the moment he'd tipped her over in front of Jitterbugs.

"Thank you," He murmured, brushing a sweet kiss to the crease of her lips before burying his nose into the side of her neck. He inhaled the soothing scent of her, and basked in her warmth. Suddenly meeting her father didn't seem all that scary. After all he was responsible for the woman in his arms right now.

"You're welcome,"

"I love you Iris West," He whispered into her shoulder bone hotly. Barry's arms tightened around her wishing he could breathe her in. She screamed and giggled in shock as he picked her off the ground. This past year she'd been the happiest she'd ever been and it was because of Barry. Always because of Barry.

"You better!" She rained soft kisses all over his face making him chuckle, and causing a flush to appear. Before she could kiss his perfect lips someone cleared their throat, loudly. Light from inside the house spilled out over them. She didn't miss the way Barry's expression fell or the way he quickly placed her to the ground as if they'd been doing something wrong. She stared at him narrowly wondering why he was being weird. Eying him for a second longer she pivoted and saw her dad standing there.

"Hey daddy," She greeted, her eyes twinkling at the sight of her father. He filled the doorway but that was normal. Joe West held a heavy presence. He knew everyone and everyone knew him. They all loved him too. Their favorite Jazz singer.

"Hey princess," Joe replied staring hard at Barry. His eyes only venturing from his daughter's boyfriend for a split second to acknowledge her. She bounced up and pecked his cheek, hoping to nullify the tension. No father wanted to see their daughter macking on some guy, least of all Joe. Surprisingly he conveyed as much with his eyes as he glared Barry down. The freezing temperatures didn't stop the sweat that broke out on Barry's forehead either. Honestly Barry wanted to run for his life. Joe was intimidating as hell.

"Daddy," Iris started excited for their official introduction. This was a big deal. Iris had never taken home any of her boyfriends but Barry was different; he'd been specially crafted for her. Around him she was a pile of goo, all bright eyes and racing heart. Barry stood back on his heels, his stance fearful. The nerves from earlier attacked him full force and he swore his anxiety was two seconds away from acting up. Iris grabbed Barry's fingers in reassurance, squeezing his hand to tell him it was okay. Joe wasn't going to bite his head off, not yet anyway.

"This is Barry," She introduced enthusiastically, the complete opposite of everything Barry felt. "Barry, this is my dad, Joe." Crickets must've started chirping because it took Barry a lingering moment to answer.

"Pleasure to meet you sir," He finally got out. His palm shook as he wiped sweat on the outside of his overcoat and reached his hand out for Joe to shake. Joe accepted the handshake after a pause, a pause that caused Barry's cheeks to turn a bright red in semi embarrassment.

"Iris has told me a lot about you," It was then Barry realized Joe was yanking his chains. A heavy breath pushed out of his chest in relief, his body automatically relaxing. Joe grinned at him and laughed as he released Barry's hand, proud of himself for putting on the tough dad act.

"I will say the same of you sir," Joe nodded in acceptance before stepping back to welcome them in.

"You can call me Joe, son." Iris beamed at the two of them, happiness filling her chest so completely. Everything was going to be okay. Just peachy.

 **Christmas Night, Circa 2011.**

 _Merry Christmas._

Iris must've typed those two words a million times before hitting send. What did one text their ex-boyfriend/ex-lover/best-friend on their anniversary…after a break-up? She didn't have a clue but sending at least a holiday greeting seemed safe enough. Especially after a few days of no communication.

Her lips turned downwards at the argument that had ended their relationship. She wanted to join the police academy, he didn't want her to, bad idea. That whole discussion had sparked their nastiest fight yet. And Iris's chest had ached every second since. It was hard going from spending all your available time with someone to not seeing them at all. Barry was her life support and had become everything to her in the past two years. Never in a million years had it occurred to her that they would end things.

She paced back and forth for a few minutes longer. This was their first Christmas apart, actually their first holiday apart since they'd met and it felt increasingly weird. She missed him, more than she admitted to Diana the day before. He was her other half, the best half and she wished she hadn't brought up joining the stupid police academy. Truth of the matter was she'd considered joining long before Barry had told her he couldn't afford to complete his PH.D.

Saving people was something she'd always wanted to do, and being a cop was the initial step in accomplishing that. Barry should've been the first person to understand and support her dream. It was fine if her dad was against the idea. She was his only child after all, but Barry should've been different. She was supposed to be his best half too. That was probably what hurt the most. The fact that he would rather walk away from her than support her decision (even in his disagreement).

It was hard loving someone so much because even though you wanted to give them the universe, chances were sometimes they didn't want to do the same. Iris felt the wetness on her cheeks before she realized she was crying again. Tearing up randomly had become such an innate part of her nowadays. She wasn't upset anymore, just sad. She exhaled a deep breath, and wiped the water from beneath her eyes. All of their friends thought she was the strong one but sometimes strength was in tears.

Stalking over to the window on the far side of the living room, she peered out over the darkened city. She was on the top floor of her building, and the view had been one of the main reasons why she'd considered the loft in the first place but watching the first flakes of snow fall without Barry's arms around her dulled everything that once made her happy. She wrapped her arms around herself defensively, her phone still clutched in her palm. He hadn't replied, and that seemed to make this break-up all the more real.

The knock came a few moments later, echoing around the still room. Her heart thundered in her chest in surprise. Iris wasn't expecting anyone, not her father and definitely not Barry. Dropping her arms to her sides she crossed the room to the front door. Maybe it was Eddie. For the past week or so he'd checked on her almost religiously. Gripping the steel knob, she pulled the heavy wood back. Her heart tripled in speed at the sight in front of her. It was Barry.

"I'm sorry," Was the first thing out of his mouth. He wasn't wearing his glasses and he had ten o'clock shadow which wasn't like Barry. The look in his eyes was what caught her attention though. They were hallow, and similar to the anguish she was undergoing herself. "I shouldn't have gotten upset with you for wanting to follow your dreams and support mine."

Iris's lips pressed into a thin line, her gaze taking all of him in. There was so much going on inside of her at the sight of him. Warmth spread throughout her being along with longing, need and a brilliant amount of admiration and love. This was the man she'd been in love with from the first moment she'd laid eyes on him. Tough as nails Iris West had found her soulmate, the man of her dreams, her everything. Suddenly their stupid fight over her joining the police force seemed insignificant. Everything seemed insignificant compared to Barry. She would be the biggest liar if she told him she was still pissed.

She opened her mouth to respond but her body moved of its own accord. Iris was in his arms with her lips pressed against his within seconds. A groan vibrated from the back of her throat at the way he deepened the kiss. Her feet dangled off the ground as he picked her up to bring her closer. This was all she had left to say. She didn't want to argue with him about joining the force anymore. All she wanted was the love of her life back. Her mouth worked his hungrily. There wasn't a single time when she kissed him that it wasn't like the first. Any of her neighbors passing by would be in for a scene but Iris didn't care because Barry was here in her arms and no matter what kind of disagreement transpired he would always be a part of her.

Barry walked them both back into her apartment, their mouths never disconnecting. Oxygen be damned. The slam of the door registered somewhere in the back of her mind but she paid it no attention. He nipped her lower lip inhaling her scent. Cinnamon with just a hint of sugar. No amount of confessing would suffice to how much he'd missed her. His large hands moved downwards to curl around the curve of her bottom and drag her closer. When they were like this Barry could never get close enough to her.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and held herself to him. The phone in her hand forgotten as it fell somewhere at their feet with a thud. Iris's heartbeat rocketed against her ribcage. She always wondered if he knew exactly how much he affected her, how much she craved his touch.

She gave a small yelp as they both fell onto the sofa; a move she hadn't anticipated. The length of her hair masked both of their faces as she moved to gaze down at him, her knees helping to hold her body up. Even though she knew her small frame wouldn't squash him.

"Does this mean you forgive me?" He asked, hope splattered both in his tone and facial expression. How could she stay mad at that face? She couldn't stop the way her features softened, or the way her eyes roamed over his. Of course she forgave him. Iris had forgiven him the moment he'd stormed out after their argument.

"Nope, I think I'm going to need a bit more persuading. I mean you haven't called or texted me in a few days and that's bound to hurt a girls' ego," Barry released a sigh of relief before a grin appeared. Iris was toying with him, the playfulness evident in the way her eyes crinkled with glee. God he'd missed her. Not only her but the taste, feel and smell of her.

The last few days had been hell. Each time he'd picked up his phone he'd almost texted or called her but feared she wouldn't pick up. She'd given him an ultimatum. Either stand by her decision or leave. The thing was Barry feared he would lose her in the line of duty. All the worst things had occurred in those few seconds in his mind and Iris was the one thing Barry couldn't survive without. His finger pushed through her hair and shaped the back of her head, holding her above him.

"I was being an idiot," he stated seriously, his green eyes searching hers. "And I shouldn't have left the way I did. It's…it's just that I can't lose you Iris. You're everything to me and you'll _always_ be,"

"And you won't." Determination steeled her voice. Barry would never lose her, he had to know that much. She leaned her forehead against his, vulnerability shining bright in her eyes.

"You promise?"

"I promise." They both knew there was no evading death and being a cop heightened the possibility greatly but Barry took her promise and ran with it. He trusted her, more than he trusted anyone else. Lifting his head his mouth found hers in a tender press of lips. There was a sweetness in the way his lips moved under hers. There was no Barry Allen without Iris West. And one day he was going to marry her. That much he knew.

"By the way," he whispered in between each breath of air they stole between kisses. "I wanted to call you every single second we were apart."

"Oh yeah?" Iris broke away from him and straddled his body properly. His hands settled on her thighs and he squeezed as she pushed her hair out of her face. The length of him becoming apparent under her with each move she made.

"Yeah," Barry's eyes never strayed away from her. She never failed to take his breath away, each and every single time. She was by far the most beautiful person he'd ever encountered. The sweater dress she wore rode up her thighs with the nudge of his thumbs, a silent promise being exchanged between their heated gazes.

"Lucky for you, you can make it up to me," A sly grin appeared on her swollen lips and he needed no more encouragement than that. He sat up, his hands slipping completely under the dress to frame her hips. She wasn't wearing underwear. One of his thick eyebrow shot up at the discovery. Barry yearned to taste every inch of her over and over again. Iris moaned at the hunger shining bright in his eyes.

"Happy anniversary." He whispered watching her. Iris beamed and crashed her lips against his, ravishing his mouth completely. Forget finesse, she wanted this man, all of him. Heat pooled between her thighs at the mere thought of having him inside of her. _God help her_.

 **Christmas Morning, Circa 2013.**

They were trapped in a blizzard and it reminded Barry of the first day they'd met at Jitterbugs. Wind squealed outside slapping the glass of the windows as droplets of snow sheathed any sign of mankind in the distance. He wondered how Iris could sleep through this. For one he was freezing his ass off, and two, the whistle of breeze had jostled him out of his sleep.

According to the article he'd pulled up seconds before this year's blizzard was the worst Central City had seen since the 60's. A statement he doubted was true since they claimed that astounding fact every year. Turning his phone downwards on the night table he moved closer into her embrace. One of her arms curled around his lower abdomen holding him tight. They slept like this all the time, arms and limbs tangled ungracefully but it was comfortable for both of them. The hard edges of the box he clutched pierced his palm reminding him of its presence. Excitement with a small mixture of fear swirled heavy in his gut. This was the right moment, he reminded himself. This was it.

Barry had exhausted option after option of how he wanted to propose, of how he thought she wanted to be proposed to. Women wanted spectacular when it came to all facets of their relationships but Barry knew Iris better than anyone else and he knew her spectacular didn't equate to grander. Her spectacular composed of all their most intimate moments. Last night he'd decided he wanted _her_ spectacular too. Reserving a table at a fancy restaurant or getting down on one knee in front of their friends and family didn't classify as intimate. No, he wanted this moment to be more than perfect amongst all the others.

The curls in her hair splayed loosely over her pillow and his, her breathing even and light. He knew she was completely naked underneath, the warmth of her body chasing away the chill at his back. There was something special about seeing her like this. Her face was void of all emotions except peace. This was when she was the most gorgeous. At the precinct she had an edge, a sort of respectable air about her but when they were together Iris simply glowed. He reached a hand out and brushed a few tendrils of curls away from her face, his green eyes darkening slightly. Barry's feelings for Iris eclipsed definition, no amount of prolonged confessions adequate. It was insanity really. An insanity he was willing to spend the rest of his life dealing with.

The thing was Joe or Joseph (as he liked to be called now) didn't want Barry marrying his daughter. He hated Barry's guts. It had all started with strong dislike and progressed into full-fledged hatred once Joe realized she was helping him pay his tuition. Now Barry didn't necessarily care if Joe accepted their relationship or not. That wasn't going to change how he felt about Iris. Nothing could ever alter that. Iris was the very air in his lungs, the strength he needed to carry on with his days.

Brushing a kiss on the tip of her nose, his fingers found hers at his back and he slowly lifted her arm in attempt to not wake her. He wanted to see the shock on her face when she realized what he'd done, what he was asking.

Once her arm was dislodged from his back he pressed a peck to the center of her palm. Iris was a deep sleeper which worked a lot of the time in his favor. Resting her hand on top of his shoulder he popped the lid of the ring box open. He made a face, stilling, as she cuddled more into his side. She buried her face into his neck, her body flushed against his. This would be the most challenging part.

Seconds ticked by until he was certain she was still fast asleep before taking the ring out. The oval shaped diamond shined bright in the dullness of the darkened room. He'd saved for her ring, he recalled going into her favorite jewelry store and seeing it. The ring catching his eye the way Iris had all those years ago. The diamond was centered on a thin silver band with hearts on either side. It was the perfect match. He'd even gotten her a necklace to wear it on if she ever needed to take it off at work.

His fingers found hers again, this time he moved her arm to get better access to her ring finger. The ring fit perfectly as he gently slid it over the ridges of her knuckle and firmly in place. On her finger it was almost as beautiful as she was. _Almost_.

"Wha-" Her sleep laden voice made him jump out of his skin, dropping the box somewhere on the bed. Iris's head raised and she stared at him drowsily, one of her perfect eyebrows shooting up. He'd been caught.

"Barry?" She asked as she sat up, not caring about her state of undress and the freezing temperature of their bedroom. She'd seen the ring, and felt the box under her side. Her eyes were bright as she looked between him and her finger.

"I was trying to sur-" But he didn't get to finish his statement because she jumped on him, her lips fusing with his in the next instant.

"Yes, yes, a million times yes!" She exclaimed into his mouth, sleep completely forgotten. "No questions about it." Barry rolled her onto her back, the blanket caught between their intertwined bodies. She didn't give him a chance to respond as she deepened the kiss.

 **Christmas Night, Circa 2014.**

"Detective West?" Someone inquired from behind her. A smile lit her features because she knew who that someone was.

"Yes?" She asked moving in her seat to get a better look at the intruder. Iris was having a rather lengthy discussion with Diana about meta-humans and the ramifications of their presence in Central City. A topic that seemed endless in retrospect.

"May I have this dance?" Iris's smile somehow grew larger. She looked behind her at Diana and mouthed 'I'm sorry' in which Diana waved her off.

"We'll talk later," She told Iris delightedly. "I have to go find Bruce anyway," Bruce and Diana were inseparable these days which made Iris happy. After Diana and Eddie broke up, Iris had seriously thought her long-time friend had given up on love until Diana had met Bruce at a charity gala.

"Take care of my girl Barry," Diana added standing to her feet. She waved two fingers in front of her eyes. "Because I'm watching you." After opening and shutting his mouth a few times, Barry decided a quick nod would suffice causing both Diana and Iris to laugh.

"What about it Mrs. Allen?" Barry asked, fondness capturing every inch of his features. Iris would never get tired of hearing him say that. Today was probably the best day of her life. She'd given herself wholly and truthfully to Bartholomew Allen, forever. Barry reached a hand out and without hesitation she took it. He helped her to her feet, his eyes raking over her flawless face and down to her wedding gown. She was the most gorgeous woman in the whole, entire world. He pressed a kiss to the center of her palm before intertwining their fingers and directing her to the dance floor.

"I don't know, my husband might get jealous," Iris bathed in the grin he shot at her, and once they got onto the dance floor wasted no time in curling her arms around his neck. The tempo of the song was upbeat but Iris didn't care. All she wanted was to be wrapped in Barry's arms. She felt the brush of his lips against her earlobe and sighed in content. She finally had everything she wanted. Laying her head over his chest, she listened to the hammer of his heartbeat knowing Barry Allen was and would always be _forever_ hers.


End file.
